


Aftermath

by American_Oddysey



Category: Dragon Quest Series, Dragon Quest XI
Genre: "brothers in arms?" that sounds pretty gay, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, thats the context, they had drunkenly fucked
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-17 07:27:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29096487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/American_Oddysey/pseuds/American_Oddysey
Summary: You're not allowed to run away from your problems, Hendrik.
Relationships: Graig | Hendrik/Sylvia | Sylvando (Dragon Quest XI)
Kudos: 13





	Aftermath

It’d been… weird since that night. Hendrik has been more distant, though it was hard to be when the group was made up of only six other people. Regardless, the knight of Heliodor had been quieter than usual, and had taken every excuse he could to not sleep in the same tent as his fellow knight. He hadn’t slept very well, and that much was obvious. He was built like a brick shithouse, sure, but it really seemed like one gust of wind could knock him back on his rear. 

And Sylvando was starting to think it was his fault. Maybe they shouldn’t have done anything that night. The entertainer pokes the burning embers of the fire with a stick, the knight just across the flames from him. The other members of the group were also around, though absorbed in their own conversations, paying no mind to the two knights. That was probably purposeful. It’d be better if things were sorted out between the two of them. It’d make things less awkward in the party. 

Hendrik catches the entertainer’s gaze, keeping it for a moment before the knight gets up. He slings his sword over his shoulder, murmuring to Rab something about taking a walk as he leaves the campsite.

The entertainer frowns, hesitating before getting up to follow Hendrik. They really needed to talk. Alone. This was probably the best opportunity to do so. Sylvando sucks in a breath before mustering up a good facade of his normal happy-go-lucky self. “Yoohoo~! Hendrik!” He calls out, and the knight stops in his tracks, glancing over his shoulder at the shorter man. Sylv had refrained from using a nickname or pet name for Hendrik for a reason. That might just scare him off more. The entertainer trots up to the knight, his first instinct to loop his arm with the older man’s, but he holds back. 

“What is it you want…?” Hendrik says, his voice a little raspy. Sylv didn’t think he’d slept in days. 

“I wanted to talk with you,” The entertainer says truthfully, now averting his eyes from the knight’s.

“Then speak,” Hendrik says cooly, starting to walk again. “I don’t plan on staying away from camp all night.”

“… I’m sorry,” Sylvando could easily keep strife with the knight, despite the other man being quite a bit taller than him. “I— know that… it wasn’t a good idea. Neither of us were in our right mind, and I know— I know it was my idea, so I’m sorry.”

Hendrik stops again, and it takes a minute for him to fully process what the jester had just said. He furrows his brow, looking down at Sylvando. “Is that all?” He asks.

“You make that sound like that wasn’t why you’re mad,” Sylvando frowns more.

“I’m not mad,” Hendrik says quietly, continuing his stride up the hill until the two of them make it to the top, a tree residing rather close to them. Erdwin’s Lantern glowed ominously up in the sky, outshining the Dark One’s citadel. Had it not been for the end of the world, the view would be beautiful. “… I’ve just been thinking.”

“About…?”

“Everything.”

Sylvando cocked an eyebrow. “Honey, if you’re just gonna be vague, then I don’t see why I should be here.” He brushes his hand up against the knight’s. “Just… tell me what’s on your mind. Please.” 

Hendrik tears his eyes away from the sky, looking down at the entertainer. “… Coming to terms with Jasper, whether or not it’s fair to subject you to the same emotional baggage that he’d subjected me to. Whether or not I deserve this-”

“One thing at a time.”

“I have been thinking about that night. More than I should. I’m not sure if… we should.” Hendrik says, though is still pretty vague.

“… Be in a…?”

“Yeah…”

“What’s your reasoning?” Sylvando couldn’t help but feel the pang of hurt in his chest.

“I don’t want to use you as a rebound. I’m not… in a great emotional state right now, as I’m sure you’ve noticed,” Hendrik murmurs, looking down at the scorched grass beneath his boots. “And this isn’t the safest of circumstances. I don’t… want either of us to put our feelings out on the line just for one of us to die in the fight against Mordegon.” 

“It’s better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. You’ve heard that saying, right, darling?” Sylvando asks, sliding his hand into Hendrik’s gloved one. If that was it, it was fine, right?

“I have, but…” Hendrik pauses, frown deepening. “I don’t… think I deserve it.”

“Henny, honey, what do you mean by that?” Sylvando asks as Hendrik pulls his hand away from the entertainer’s. 

“I mean, I don’t deserve this. Right now. What we could have.” Hendrik explains, all too poorly. At least Sylvando knew what he was talking about. “I feel at least semi-responsible for the current state of the world. If I’d only known, I-“

“Hendrik,” Sylvando comes around to the knight’s front, pulling him down by his turtleneck so the knight couldn’t help but look at the entertainer. “You didn’t know. How could you have known? You did what you thought was right, honey, and that’s all that matters.” Sylvando says sternly. “And regardless, you’re here, now. Helping us. Helping to defeat ugly little thing up there.” Sylvando points in the general direction of the Dark One’s palace. “And really, Henny? I couldn’t be happier that you are.” The entertainer punctuates his statement with a smile.

Hendrik seems to relax a little. “That and I feel like it would be a little too self-indulgent,” He says gently, though is clearly warming up to the idea of being around Sylv.

“I don’t mind,” The jester giggles a little. “You were really quite open about your interest when you were intoxicated. It’s cute that you held a crush like that for so long.”

Hendrik’s cheeks flush and he pulls away from Sylvando.

“It really makes a guy feel special…” Sylvando stands on his toes and gives the knight a little kiss on the cheek. 

  
  



End file.
